The Senior Director is responsible for supporting the Senior Executive Director to supervise and manage the day to day Finance and Administration needs of the team and the school. They will direct the creation and maintenance of strategic financial analysis while producing well-structured financial reports and developing strategies based on financial research. Under the supervision of the Senior Executive Director, they will direct the team in finance strategy and operations, budget management and development, and day to day running of the financial business operations for the School.

Provides oversight and direction for the department's financial transaction and accounting practices. Designs, implements, and monitors financial reporting and control systems.

Responsibilities

Accounting and Finance Operations:

Provide oversight for all financial transactions within SPS and is responsible for ensuring compliance with both University and school policy.

Lead accounting and finance operations, systematize, document, and ensure effective and efficient processes, appropriate controls, and visibility are in place for all accounting operations

Collaborate closely with the Director, Human Resources Operations and the Associate Director of Faculty Affairs on issues related to processing all faculty, officer, casual, work-study and support staff payroll and appointments

Budget Development and Management:

Ensure annual financial budget targets for revenue and expense projections for each program and department are established, approved by the Senior Leadership team, and realized.

Work with account owners to ensure that line-item budgets are submitted, reviewed and revised as appropriate

Incorporate the School's annual central and non-central budget into the Arts and Sciences budget submission

Provide successful and on-time month-, quarter- and year-end closing of the School's budget in line with the University and Arts & Science policies and procedures

Training and Tools:

Work closely with the Executive Director of Analytics to develop and continuously improve reporting/planning/audit tools and capabilities utilized by programs and departments to monitor/manage expenses

Work with program and department leadership to instill a culture of budget management and awareness through continuous education

The Senior Director will develop and implement School-wide business operations policies and procedures, as well as training materials and methods for the School's financial policies, procedures, and applications

Coordinate across departments to develop and continuously improve processes

Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required. Additionally, a minimum of five years of accounting, business operations or related experience required.

Supervisory experience required. Must have a strong service oriented attitude and excellent interpersonal skills. Must be highly computer literate with strong accounting and financial analysis capabilities - budget theory and accounting operations understanding required. Must be able to use discretion, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound and independent judgment and perform detailed work with precision. Must be well organized, with exceptional written and oral communication skills. Must be able to create training methods for small and large groups. Ability to work well under pressure with short deadlines and changing priorities is needed. Attention to detail necessary. Strong leadership skills and an ability to take initiative required.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

Internal Number: 499426

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.